Interview | Vermeersch sees Van der Poel going for five Monuments: “But first world title is main goal”

We’re speaking with Vermeersch right before the start of the Brabantse Pijl. To be at the start of yet another classic, a mere three days after the 256.6 kilometers from Compiègne to Roubaix – which includes 54.5 kilometers of cobbles – can we call that brave? "Well, there are other riders at the start here who also raced Paris-Roubaix. I don't think that's something insurmountable. I managed to rest well for two days, so I think it will work out," Vermeersch waves away our compliment. However, the Alpecin-Deceuninck rider hasn’t completely recovered yet, as some five hours later Vermeersch would exit the race and make his way toward the team bus some forty kilometers from the finish.

But let’s first circle back to last Sunday. How big was the relief after Paris-Roubaix, where Van der Poel won, finishing in front of Jasper Philipsen, the other lightning bolt of Alpecin-Deceuninck? “It was huge. After Milan-Sanremo, Roubaix was the team's biggest goal of the spring. The Tour of Flanders was also a big goal, but there was one person who was stronger there,” he says, referring to Tadej Pogacar. “If the team finishes as numbers one and two in Roubaix, I think that is the highest achievement one can earn.”

It wasn’t just the leader who brought his A-game in northern France, but the whole team was more than up to the task. The blue shirts of the Roodhooft brothers were riding prominently up front with the whole team, managed to have three riders in the leading group of about fifteen riders after the wheat was separate from the chaff before and during Bos van Wallers and, in the final stage of the finale, they were the only team who had two riders remaining in the front group. Alpecin-Deceuninck actually delivered what was expected of Jumbo-Visma in Roubaix.

Does that collective top performance make the victory even more meaningful, compared to a victory where Van der Poel does the job all by himself? “Absolutely. That is why we were so euphoric after the race. We really took control of the race from the beginning. If Mathieu wins, but you made some mistakes as a team, sometimes you think: 'Could I have done this or that differently?’ Last Sunday, on the other hand, we absolutely did not make any mistakes. This race was pure perfection for us. 100 percent.”

- Gianni Vermeersch

A win in Milan-Sanremo – solo after an attack on the Poggio –, only having to acknowledge defeat in the Tour of Flanders to Tadej Pogacar – the best rider in the world –, and a victory in Paris-Roubaix – after an attack on the legendary cobbled section of Carrefour de l'Arbre. His entourage suggests that we got to witness the best Mathieu van der Poel of his career. What does Vermeersch, who has been MVDP's lieutenant for years, think about that?

"I think so too. And he says so himself. He now has that little bit of extra oomph in the finale. Just look at the solos he did during both Milan-Sanremo and Paris-Roubaix. That's something unique. Especially winning solo in Sanremo: to pull that off, you have to be able to pump out enormous amounts of watts in the last ten minutes of the race. He has demonstrated his ability twice in a row now. That can only be an indicator that he is in the best shape of his life."

Despite the current celebratory atmosphere surrounding Van der Poel, it wasn’t that long ago that the five-time world cyclo-cross champion was lurching from one problem to another. From back problems at the end of 2021 to a disastrous Tour de France in 2022 and the infamous hotel incident at the World Championship in Wollongong: the wonder boy’s star faded for a while.

"He hasn’t had it easy," Vermeersch acknowledges. What happened in Australia is not nice, and you carry that with you. He has certainly risen above it now. And put everything back on track. This winter, it was a matter of rebuilding towards this spring, of dotting the i's and crossing the t's."

- Gianni Vermeersch

And Van der Poel sure has dotted the i's and crossed the t's. After his two monumental victories this spring, the Dutchman already has three different monuments on his list of achievements. Only the Tour of Lombardy and Liège-Bastogne-Liège have not yet been checked off by Van der Poel. Does he have the capabilities to win those two (tougher) Monuments as well – which would allow him to join the illustrious ranks of Eddy Merckx, Rik Van Looy and Roger De Vlaeminck, the only three riders to ever win all five Monuments?

"I think it will certainly be his ambition to try and win those other two monuments as well," Vermeersch says. "He can definitely win Liège-Bastogne-Liège. The Tour of Lombardy will be a bit more difficult. But never say never, because it’s always a possibility. He has finished in the top ten there before. Given ideal conditions and a good day, I think Mathieu is capable of anything. But this year, that world title will still be the main goal."